About the Professional Association for Philosophical Practice

The Professional Association for Philosophical Practice in Germany

The Professional Association for Philosophical Practice (BV-PP) promotes the development of philosophical practice as the basis of an formative and advisory profession and represents the professional policy interests of those active in philosophical practice. These include various forms and formats of philosophical practice, starting with freelance work in individual consulting, or consulting for business enterprises and organizations, as well as educational and consulting activities in a broader sense in employee relationships and hybrid forms. The link between all these different forms is the professional activity of philosophical practice.

For the further development of philosophical practice the professional association wants

Promote the establishment of philosophical practice as a specific professional form of philosophy in different professional contexts,

to promote and further develop the qualifications of philosophical practitioners,

carry out training and further education of consultants in the sense of philosophical practice,

to promote cooperation with other education and training institutions and other professional associations in the context of philosophical practice,

cultivate and expand cooperation with universities and other scientific institutions,

clarify the importance of philosophical practice in public and sharpen the profile of philosophical consulting practice.

The professional association for philosophical practice was founded in 2009 and is still in the development phase. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Executive Board.

The association represents and sees its special tasks in the maintenance of professional standards. This includes the further training and professional qualification of practicing female philosophers. For this qualification the association develops offers which correspond to the special character of the activity of doing philosophie and bring in the intellectual yield of the philosophical tradition.

What is Philosophical Practice?

In Philosophical Practice, questions, ways of thinking and insights are made meaningful.

Philosophical practice is currently establishing itself as an alternative to psychotherapy. It is an institution for people,

who torture worries or problems, "cannot cope with their life" or think that they have somehow "got stuck";

who are pressed by questions they can neither solve nor get rid of;

who prove themselves in everyday life, but still suspect that their reality of life does not correspond to their possibilities.

In philosophical practice people come forward who are not satisfied with just living or just getting through, who rather try to give an account of their life and hope to get clarity about its contour, its where, where to, where to. It is not uncommon for them to think about the special circumstances, the often strange entanglements and the strangely ambiguous course of their lives. In short, they seek the philosopher's practice because they want to be understood and understood.

In 1981, Dr. Gerd B. Achenbach opened the first philosophical practice of modern times. The term he coined is described as "professionally conducted philosophical life counseling", which "takes place in the practice of a philosopher.